?Chapter 448:


    This wasn’t the first time Lydia had thrown out such a joke. Elena typically brushed it off, letting Lydia talk to her heart’s content. But today…


    Elena’s voice turned serious. “Please don’t say things like that anymore. There’s nothing between us.”


    Lydia was taken aback. “Did you two have a spat? What happened? What had caused this rift?”


    “What? No,” Elena replied. “He’s engaged. Seriously, don’t bring it up again. It could stir up unnecessary trouble.”


    “What?” Upon hearing that, Lydia’s shock was palpable. “Wesley is engaged, yet he’s always around you? Wow, I didn’t see that twisting. Wesley is quite the charmer! Don’t worry, I’ll find you a dozen handsome, strong, and capable men! Is a dozen too many, or should I aim for more…”


    Elena raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure you have time to y matchmaker? Shouldn’t you be focusing on your recovery first?”


    After hanging up, Elena returned to share lunch with Jolie.


    Jolie beamed with delight. “Have you been running around too much? You’ve lost weight. You need to eat more.”


    Jolie continued to pile food onto Elena’s te until it resembled a small mountain.


    Elena stared at the towering heap of food, unsure where to begin, and Jolie noticed her hesitation.


    “Did I go overboard?” Jolie asked, a hint of concern in her voice.


    Elena smiled softly. “Not at all.”


    After the meal, Elena joined Jolie for a leisurely walk to help settle the meal before heading upstairs to prepare for the next day.


    During this time, Elena took on a hacking gig. It was a small task worth two hundred thousand, something she wouldn’t usually consider. But when she discovered the client was an orphanage, she changed her mind.


    A ruthless businessman aimed to demolish the orphanage to make way for a swanky club.


    In less than thirty minutes, Elena breached thepany’s defenses, uncovered evidence of illegal demolition, and sent a warning. If they didn’t want their dirtyundry aired in public, they’d better leave the orphanage alone.


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    With that matter resolved, she pulled an ancient knife from her bag. When it came to weaponry, she favored cold steel over firearms. If Earle’s men dared to show up tomorrow, her knife would speak volumes.


    The silver de glinted menacingly in the stillness of the night outside the window.


    In the dead of night, deep within the underground market, a dimly lit room buzzed with anticipation. A crowd of men stood packed together, their faces alight with excitement. Onstage, a towering iron cage held five girls, stripped almost bare, huddled in a corner, trembling.


    Lust burned in the men’s eyes, their gazes lingering hungrily on the girls.


    Excited shouts echoed through the auction house.


    On the second floor, in a private lounge, Earle sat on a plush sofa, his long legs crossed in a rxed manner. He toyed with a sleek silver pistol, spinning itzily between his fingers. He did nothing, yet his presence alone radiated dominance.


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